1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a method for treating nasal congestion, sinus congestion, dysopthia, and excessive lacrimation whereby extended relief from said congestion is obtained.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Nasal and sinus congestion, stuffiness, dysophthia, and excessive lacrimation resulting from the common cold, as well as from reaction to various allergens, known as allergic rhinitis, is perhaps the most common medical problem, affecting essentially every person at one time or another in his life.
The physiological mechanism involved in allergic rhinitis is thought to be the result of arteriolar spasms, precipitated by reaction to the presence of antigenic material, which cause atonic dilation of the distal capillaries and venules of the peripheral vascular bed, thereby producing local cellular damage due to oxygen insufficiency and the concomitant release of histamines, which cause increased capillary permeability. This increased capillary permeability then results in additional edema or tissue necrosis and the cycle repeats itself.
Current medications available to treat the condition include various nasal sprays, oral medications and lozenges. The nasal sprays act to reduce the mucosal edema and have the extremely disadvantageous side effect that the body quickly develops a physiological dependence thereon, the result being that once a person becomes dependent on the nasal spray, he requires its use long after the original causation has disappeared. Therefore protracted use of the nasal sprays is discouraged to the point where the suggested duration of use does not provide the required relief.
The various oral medications available on the market generally contain an anti-histamine compound to counter-act the effects of the histamine-producing reaction. One difficulty with the use of these oral medications is that they are slow to produce a result, requiring absorbtion into the blood stream through the walls of the digestive tract, and transport to the situs by the blood stream, before their effects can begin to be experienced. Additionally, these oral medications produce undesirable side effects, drowsiness being one of the most noticeable.
As for the various lozenges, they are for the most part quite ineffective in producing any relief of the symptoms.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,457,188 and 2,741,574 show the use of benzocaine and procaine in pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. The references contain no suggestion of use for treatment of nasal and sinus congestion.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,244,588 illustrate the use of analgesics, similar in structure to benzocaine and procaine, as antitussives. This patent describes only that the compounds of the invention may be applied orally, but contains no details of the form used for application. Oral or parenteral administration is disclosed at col. 1, line 64. Logenzes and gums are disclosed at col. 3, lines 43-45.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,113 describes certain compounds, known to be analgesics, that are described as having immunosuppressive behavior. Immunosuppressive behavior is generally associated with treatment of allergies. Dosage forms are disclosed at col. 3, lines 51-53. The reference does not suggest the method of treatment of this invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,917 describes analgesic compounds that are used for various reasons. Relief of congestion is not specifically described. Also, it is described that the compounds of the invention are applied topically in a carrier that facilitates absorbtion through the skin. See column 15. A sugar ester is an essential ingredient of these compositions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,220 describes compounds that are used for their anti-allergy activity, that are administered orally. There is no suggestion that these compounds might be used in the method of this invention.
Russian Pat. No. 511,948 teaches a method of treating bronchial asthma by injecting novocain into the costal cannal. Again, there is no suggestion that these compounds be used in the method of this invention.
Therefore a need has continued to exist for a method of treating nasal and sinus congestion which is safe, effective, long lasting, non-habit forming, achieves its result in a very short time after treatment begins, and easy to apply.